An environmental scan of weight assessment and management practices in paediatric spina bifida clinics across Canada

Abstract

Childhood obesity is a global health concern, but children with spina bifida in particular have unique interacting risk factors for increased weight. PURPOSE: To identify and explore current clinical practices around weight assessment and management in pediatric spina bifida clinics. METHODS: An online, self-report survey of healthcare professionals (HCPs) was conducted in all pediatric spina bifida clinics across Canada (15 clinics). Summary and descriptive statistics were calculated and descriptive thematic analysis was performed on free text responses. RESULTS: 52 responses across all 15 clinics indicated that weight and height were assessed and recorded most of the time using a wide variety of methods, although some HCPs questioned their suitability for children with spina bifida. Weight and height information was not routinely communicated to patients and their families and HCPS identified considerable barriers to discussing weight-related information in consultations. CONCLUSION: Despite weight and height reportedly being measured regularly, HCPs expressed concern over the lack of appropriate assessment and classification tools. Communication across multi-disciplinary team members is required to ensure that children with weight-related issues do not inadvertently get overlooked. Specific skill training around weight-related issues and optimizing consultation time should be explored further for HCPs working with this population.

Family-based prevention of overweight and obesity in children aged 2–6 years: a systematic review and narrative analysis of randomized controlled trials

“…Introduction of energy-dense and nutrient-poor food to infants and young children is identified as a key contributor to childhood overweight and obesity (World Health Organization; Pearce and Langley-Evans 2013). Parental obesity also has an influence on childhood obesity (Reilly et al 2005;McPherson et al 2014). The subsequent trickle-down effects of childhood obesity in adult life pose greater health problems, with an overwhelming burden in medical care involved in treating the outcomes involved in treating the complications of obesity throughout adult life (Katzmarzyk et al 2014).…”

A Call to Action: Setting the Research Agenda for Addressing Obesity and Weight-Related Topics in Children with Physical Disabilities

“…A key challenge facing clinicians and researchers is the lack of standardized, accurate, and acceptable (both to the patients and in a clinic environment) measurement tools to assess children with physical disabilities. This impacts both clinical monitoring of children and classification of body weight status, 32 as well as the evaluation of intervention impact. Two primary strategies to address this problem were proposed: first, the creation of an expert committee, to develop practice guidelines using existing anthropometric assessments ( e .…”

The use of the environmental scan in health services delivery research: a scoping review protocol

“…Although environmental scans have been widely adopted in the healthcare sector to inform decision-making,12 31 37–59 there is no consensus on a definition to guide research and practice. This paper presents a protocol for a scoping review that will map the extent, range and nature of evidence examining the use or application of environmental scans within the health services delivery context.…”

“…Environmental scans have been used as an effective approach to information gathering for a range of specific purposes (table 1). These include reviewing the current state of services and programmes, evaluating community and patient needs, identifying service gaps, assessing professional education and training needs, supporting quality improvement initiatives, and informing programme and policy development 12 31 37–59. For instance, environmental scans have been used to assess remote symptom support training programmes for nurses in ambulatory oncology programmes56 and to describe paediatric navigation models across Canada 39…”

“…Despite the wide adoption of environmental scans within the healthcare sector,12 31 37–59 there is no consensus on a working definition or conceptual framework specific to health services delivery, and methodological guidance on the design and implementation of this approach to guide research and practice is lacking in the literature 12 29–31 45. Various terminologies have been used to describe the concept.…”